Ice making machine



Dec. 8, 1936.

W. H. TAYLOR ICE MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, l935 INTIENTIOR. M,

' ATToRNEY.

Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES ICE MAKING MACHINE William H.-Taylor, Muskego, Wis., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation Application February 2, 1935, Serial No. 4,668

14 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to improvements in the mode of constructing and of operating machines for congealing or freezing fluent substances such as liquid and for removing the congealed material from the cooling surface.

Generally defined, an object of the present invention is to provide a compact ice making machine which is highly eflicient in normal use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and useful mechanism for continuously congealing fluent substance such as liquid.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and durable ice machine which can be manufactured, installed, and operated at moderate cost.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a relatively small liquid freezer having enormous capacity as compared to the space ocoperation thereof.

An additional specific object of the invention is to provide an improved system for cooling a liquid congealing surface.

provide simple and highly eifective means for automatically removing successive ice films from a relatively movable cooling surface.

A further specific object of the invention is to provide a continuously functioning automatic ice producing unit, which is operable by a novice and with utmost safety.

The above and other objects and advantages of the present improvement will be apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of several embodiments of the invention, and of the mode of constructing and of operating ice making machines built in accordance therewith, may be had by referring 0 to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification, wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the different views. Fig. 1 is a relatively diagrammatic longitudinal 45 central vertical section through one of the improved ice making machines, with the normal housing or enclosure omitted therefrom;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through the freezing and ice-removing elements of Fig. 1, 5 the section being taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal central vertical section through a modified type of freezing cylinder. or casing, having a modified form 55 of iceremover cooperating therewith; and

cupied by the unit, and the power required for Another specific object of the invention is to Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section through the assemblage of Fig. 3, taken along'the line- Although the invention has been shown and described herein as being specifically applied to 5 a machine for converting water into slush-ice, it is not intended to thereby limit the scope of the improvement, since the improved features are obviously more generally applicable to other classes of fluent material congealing machines. 10

Referring specifically to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing, the improved ice making machine comprises, generally, a constantly rotatable, substantially cylindrical casing 5 having an external annular cooling surface 6 ex- 15 tending throughout the entire length of the cylinder; a main propelling shaft I secured to and providing a support for one end of the main casing 5; a refrigerant exhaust or discharge pipe 8 rotatably supporting the opposite end of the casing 5 and extending upwardly within the refrigerant confining chamber 8 formed by the rotary main casing; a refrigerant supply pipe 10 projecting through the fixed exhaust pipe 8 and extending centrally within the chamber 9;. one or more liquid supply pipes ll having openings l2 for spraying or showering liquid over the revolving cooling surface 6; a helical scraper l3! supported for rotation upon an auxiliary shaft l4 and cooperable with the surface 6 to remove the congealed liquid therefrom; and additional driving elements for simultaneously revolving the casing 5 and the scraper l3.

The main casing 5 is preferably formed as a relatively thin shell, and while the external cooling surface 6 is of substantially cylindrical formation, the opposing internal surface is formed as a helical groove or screw thread l5 exposed to and surrounding the chamber 9 and extending from end to end thereof. The drive shaft 1 is 4 journaled in a bearing l6 and may be rigidly attached to the end of the casing 5 in any suitable manner; and' the end of the internal screw thread [5 nearest the shaft T terminates in an annular internal groove l1 surrounding the delivery end of the central refrigerant supply pipe ID. The opposite end of the internal screw thread l5 terminates in an annular substantially semi-circular cross-sectioned groove l8, and the upwardly extending internal end of the refrigerant discharge pipe 8 is provided with an integral scraping projection l9 which coacts with the groove l8 in a manner to sweep liquids or solidsfrom within this groove into the pipe during revolution of the casing 5. The end of the 5 pipe 8 is provided with a seal 20, and the refrigerant supply pipe in may be provided with a regulating valve, not shown.

The liquid supply pipe or pipes H may likewise be provided with regulating valves 2!, and the spray openings i 2 therein should be SO located that all portions of the revolving cooling surface '6 will be abundantly supplied with fresh liquid. The helical blade of the scraper l3, which is mounted upon the revolving auxiliary shaft l4, has a cutting peripheral edge 22 disposed in close proximity to the cooling surface 6; and the shaft 94 is journaled in stationary bearings 23 and is constantly rotatable by means of a pinion 24 secured to the auxiliary shaft and meshing with a gear 25 secured to the driving shaft 1. The shaft 1 may be rotated at any desired speed by means of a pulley 26 secured thereto, and while the gearing connecting the shafts 1, I4 is adapted to drive these shafts in opposite directions and at differential speeds, this gearing may obviously be replaced by other gearing capable of, driving the casing 5 and scraper l3 either in the same direction, or at the same speed.

The improved ice making machine is preferably confined within a housing in order to prevent excessive melting of the congealed mate-= rial removed by the scraper l3, and the material thus removed, together with the excess liquid, is delivered by gravity upon a receiving screen 21. As shown, this screen 21 is mounted upon a receptacle 28 which is adapted to receive the excess liquid which is separated from the congealed material by the screen 21, and suitable means for constantly removing the ice particles from this separating screen may also be provided.

During the normal operation of the improved ice making machine illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the main casing 5 is being revolved in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 by means of the pulley ,26, and the scraper I3 is being revolved in the opposite direction and at somewhat higher speed, by means of the gear 25 and pinion 24, to cause the helical cutting edge 22 of the scraper to coact with the external cylindrical cooling surface 6 of the casing 5. Liquid refrigerant is being delivered into the external chamber 9 at the end groove I! in regulated quantities, through the supply pipe l0, and due to the relatively rapid rotation of the casing 5, the refrigerant thus admitted is conveyed along the interior of the casing 5 by the screw thread 15, thereby subjecting the cooling surface 6 to cooling action at all times during rotation of the casing. While the major portion of the refrigerant thus admitted will be evaporated before reaching the annular end groove I8, some of this refrigerant, together with other liquid, Such as lubricating oil, may enter the groove l8, and these liquids as well as solids which may find their way into the system, are constantly removed from the groove l8 by the scraping projection l9 and are exhausted with the gaseous refrigerant, through the discharge pipe 8. During normal rotation of the cylinder or casing 5, the valve 2i is opened to admit regulated quantities of liquid to the spray openings I2.

from which the liquid is precipitated upon the revolving surface 6. The liquid thus deposited upon the surface 6 is quickly congealed and forms afilm of ice upon this external surface, and a rapidly revolving helical scraper [3 con moving congealed said casing for 2,063,770 casing 5' which is journaled upon the stationary stantly cuts or removes the successive films thus formed and delivers the slush-ice upon the screen 27. Here the excess liquid is separated and discharged into the receptacle 28, and the: ice crystals may be thereafter removed from the screen 21 in relatively dry condition.

While the helical scraper I3 of Figs. 1 and 2 will operate in a satisfactory manner to constantly remove the successive ice films from the surface 6, this scraper may be replaced by a film-removing structure such as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The rotary film remover shown in Figs. ,3 and 4 comprises a series of milling cutters l3 mounted upon an auxiliary shaft l4 and having peripheral cutting teeth 22. These cutting teeth 22' are cooperable with a series of peripheral V-shaped grooves 6' formed upon the exterior of the main casing 5. As the casing 5' and cutters l3 revolve either in the same or opposite directions, and at differential speeds, the teeth 22' will remove the successive films formed in the grooves 6'; and the slush-ice thus removed from the revolving casing 5' will again be deposited upon a screen 2'! and removed from the apparatus as above indicated. The remainder of the ice making unit illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 is substantially the same as that described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the present improvement provides an ice making machine which is simple, compact, and durable in construction, and which has enormous capacity considering the space actually occupied .by the unit. While the area of the cooling surface 6 is relatively restricted, the

, machine may be operated at relatively high speeds to thereby enhance the capacity to a maximum, and by delivering the refrigerant into and through the interior of the casing 6, as hereinabove described, the surface 6 is maintained in relatively cool condition during the rotation thereof at high speed. The excess refrigerant, other liquid, and solid particles will be effectively removed from themachine by the scraper projection l9, and the formation of the film removers as illustrated in 'Figs. 1 and 3 insures retention of clean film-forming cooling surfaces. The output of the machine may be readily varied by changing the rate of revolution of the casing 5 and by regulating the quantities of liquid and refrigerant supplied to the machine, and the improved machine may obviously be conveniently and safely operated by a novice. The entire operation of the machine is automatic, except for the manual adjustments of the valves for controlling the admission of fresh liquid and liquid refrigerant, and there is nothing in the assemblage which will cause trouble or become inoperative during normal operation of the machine.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact details of construction and to the precise mode of operation herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

L-In combination, a-rotary casing having an external cooling surface, means for delivering fluent substance to said surface, means for rematerial from said surface, means for delivering liquid refrigerant into one end of said casing, and means on the interior of conveying said refrigerant to- 75 ward the opposite end thereof in close proximity to said surface.

2. In combination, a rotary ,casing having an .extemal cooling surface, means for delivering 3. In combination, a casing forming a cham-' ber and having an external cooling surface,

means for delivering liquid to said surface, means,

for removing congealed liquid from saidsurface, means for delivering liquid refrigerant into one end of said chamber, and means for positively transporting said refrigerant along said chamber in close proximity to said surface.

1. In combination, an annular casing forming an enclosed chamber and having a circular cooling surface, means for delivering liquid to all portions of said surface, movable means for removing congealed liquid from said surface, means for supplying liquidrefrigerant to said chamber near one end of said casing, and means within said chamber for positively transporting said refrigerant along said chamber toward the opposite end thereof. i

5.,In combination, a casing having a sub stantially cylindrical external cooling surface, means for delivering liquid to said surface, means for introducing refrigerant to the interior of said casing, and a scraper having a substantially helical cutting edge cooperable with said surface to remove congealed liquid therefrom.

6. In combination,.a casing having a substantially cylindrical external cooling surface, means for delivering liquid to said surface, means for introducing refrigerant to the interior of said casing, and a scraper having a substantially con-' tinuous helical cutting-edge cooperable with and movable relative to saidsurface to remove congealed liquid therefrom.

7. In combination, acasing having an external cooling surface and an internal chamber, means for delivering liquid to said surface,

means for removing congealed liquid from said 1 surface, and means for introducing refrigerant into said chamber, the wall of said chamber being formed to convey liquid refrigerant along the interior of said casing and in close proximity to said surface.

8. In-combination, a rotary casing having an external cooling surface and an internal chamber, means for delivering liquid to said surface and for removing congealed liquid therefrom, means for introducing refrigerant into said chamber, means for exhausting said refrigerant from said chamber, the wall of said chamber being formed to convey liquid therealong and having a liquid collecting groove at the end thereof adjacent said refrigerant exhaust means, and means associated with said refrigerant exhaust means for positively removing liquid from said groove.

9. In combination, a rotary casing having an external cooling surface and an internal screw thread, said casing having grooves at the opposite ends of said screw thread, means for delivering liquid to said cooling surface and for removing congealed liquid therefrom, means for introducing refrigerant into said casing adjacent one of said grooves, and means cooperable with other of said grooves for delivering refrigq erant from within said casing, said screw thread being formed to convey liquid from one of said grooves to the other.

.10. In combination, a rotary casing having an {external cooling surface and, an internal chamber, said chamber being bounded by a screw thread extending along said casing and terminating in an end groove, means for delivering liquid to said surface and .for removing congealed liquid therefrom, means 'for'admitting refrigerant to said chamber, and means cooperating with said groove to remove liquid conveyed along the interior of said casing by said screw thread from said groove.

11. In combination, a substantially cylindrical rotary casing having an external annular cooling surface and internal screw threads extending along said surface, said screw threads terminating in an annular internal groove and being formed to convey liquid toward said groove during rotation of said casing, means for delivering liquid to said cooling surface and for removing congealed liquid therefrom during rotation of said casing, means for introducing refrigerant into the interior of said casing, and refrigerant exhaust means communicating with the interior of said casing and having a projection extending into said groove.

12. In combination, a casing having a substantially cylindrical external cooling surface and an internal chamber, means for delivering liquid to said surface, means for introducing refrigerant to the interior of the casing, the wall of said chamber being formed with refrigerant channels, a scraper cooperable with said cooling surface, and means for rotating the casing to cause the scraper to remove congealed material from said cooling surface and to cause the refrigerant to flow along said channels.

13. In combination, a circular shell rotatable about a horizontal axis and having an internal helical channel for urging refrigerant from. end to end. during rotation of the shell, means for delivering fluent refrigerant into said shell, means for delivering liquid to the external surface of said shell, and a scraper for removing congealed liquid from said externals'urface.

14. In combination, a circular shell rotatable about a horizontal axis and having an internal helical channel for urging refrigerant from end to end during rotation of the shell, means for delivering fluent refrigerant into said shell, means for delivering liquid to the external surface. of said shell, and a scraper rotatable about another horizontal axis and cooperating with said external surface to remove congealed liquid therefrom.

WILLIAM H. TAYLOR. 

